Pump



ug. 17, 1948. @.H. PALM 2,447,467

PUMP

'Filed not. 2s, 1943 14 sheets-sheet 1 701ML 0F .SPR/NGS #//8 yeas.

G. H. PALM Aug, 17, 1948.

PUMP

14 SheBtS-Sheei; 2

Filed Oct. 23, 1943 llll I.

mman

Aug. 17, i948.

PUMP

14 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed 001;. 23, 1943 G. H. PALM Aug. 17,1948.

PUMP

14 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 23, 19.43

WS. Mm.

Aug. 17, 194s. G. HQPALM 2,447,467

PUMP

Filed 001'" 2:5, 1943 14 sheets-Sheet 6 /W J/70 M2765 G. H. PALM Aug. 17, 1948.

PUMP

Filed oct. 23, 1943 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 Aug. i7, 1948. G. H. FnQLn/l 2,447,467

n PUMP l Filed Oct. 23, 1943 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 TWO IMPULSES PER RET/oz. UTJON 0F rf/E LR/ VE (WORM) .SHAFT PULSA T10/V5' 0F THE DAMPER PLUNGERS pany/01V THE Wale/11 WHEEL EccE/TR/cS- zwepzza [N Dl V/D UAL .DEL/VERY 0F 777/5 MAIN PUMP/NG PL ZIA/GERS DMG/m44 OFFL 014/ cHAPAcrf/.ST/cs y E, GM

ug. 17, 1948. t G. H. PALM l 2,447,457

l PUMP Filed Oct. 23, 1943 14 Sheets-Shee-at 1l Patented Aug. 17, 1948 PUMP George H. Palm, Chicago, Ill.,

assignor to Stewart-Warner Cor-poration, Chicago, Ill., a

corporation of Virginia Application October 23, 1943, Serial No. 507,376

16 Claims. l

My invention relates to pumps.

An object of my invention is to .provide a new and improved multi-cylinder pump which is capa'- lole of Wide application. l

Another object of my invention is to providev a new and improved pump which provides iniinite variation in pressure and volume of discharge throughout a predetermined range of operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide i a new and improved pump which 'affords iniinite variation in volume and pressure of discharge,

but which'has a definite upper limit of discharge pressure.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved pump wherein the pressure and volume of discharge vary inversely so that the product of the two is substantially constant throughout the range of pump operation.

Another object of my invention vis to provide a new and improved pump wherein the `power required to operate the pump is substantially vconstant for all conditions of operation `so that 'a prime mover of minimum size may 'be utilized Without danger of overloading the prime mover. Another object of my invention is to provide 'a new and improved pump which is automatically rendered ineiiective upon the creation of a predetermined pressure and which consumes little or no energy during periods of Zero discharge.

Another object of my invention lis to provide ya new and improved pump which delivers fluid or a fluid-like substance in a uniform oW.

Another object oi my invention is to provide a 'new and improved pump which automatically accommodates vitself to different requirements and which requires no manual adjustment or control. Another object of my invention is to provide .a new and improved pump which -is self priming and constitutes a Aunitary structure lwhich Vcan be applied to and removed from a conventional lubricant drum without further attention.

Another object of my invention is to providea new and improved pump which is particularly adapted for supplying hydraulic fluid for operating machine tools or other like purposes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved pump wherein the :several elements may be diierently assembled to provide diierent operating characteristics.

Another object ol? my invention is to provide a new and improved pump which can .be readily modied to operate throughout any `given pressure range.

Another object of imy invention .is to 'provide :a

new and improved pump wherein many of the parts are duplicates of other parts whereby a complete pump can be assembled ironia relatively few structurally diierent parts.

Another object of my invention is to provide a pump having new and improved structural features which improve the efliciency, durability and operating characteristics of the complete assembly.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved pumpwhich may 'be easily assembled.

Another object of my .invention is to provide a new and improved pump of the variable Vdelivery type which is incapable of imposing an overload on an electric motor and which accordingly can be utilized without an electric cut-out or other overload device.

Another object ,of my invention is to pro-vide a new and improved air operated lpump and having automatic means for cutting off the supply -of air upon creation of a predetermined maximum pressure at the pump outlet.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved .pump of the constant delivery type.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

`In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a `view showing a lubricant pumping installation .embodying one form vor" .my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through-the pump shown in Fig. 1, this view being taken on the plane oi the lines 2 2 of Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7;

Fig. 3 is a transverse, sectional View taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. -4 .is a transverse, :sectional View taken on the 'line l-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a partial, vertical section vtaken on the plane of the lines 5-5 of Figs. 3, 4 and Arl;

Fig. 6 is a transverse, .sectional view taken on the .plane of the line 6 6 of Fig.'2;

Fig. 7 is a bottom view looking :in .the direction of the arrow 'l of Fig. 2';

.Figli isa partial phantom View showing somewhat diagrammatically the relationship between certain of the internal parts;

Fig. 9 is :a perspective view showing the assembly of a plunger with .its operating yoke;

Fig. 10 is a. perspective View showing part of a crank .shaft having its cross head assembled thereto.;

parts of the pumping mechanism for each 120 of rotation of the crank shafts;

Fig. 14 is a chart showing the pressure and volurne relationships of the lubricant discharge;

Fig. l is a vertical, sectional View showing a modified form of my pump in which an air motor has been substituted for the electric motor shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 16 is a partial, transverse section taken on the line lE-l of Fig.

Fig. 17 is a partial, transverse section taken on the line il-l'l of Fig. 15;

Fig. 18 is a partial, transverse section taken on Fig. 20 is a transverse, sectional view takenfon the line 20-20 of Fig. 19;

secured to the cover `52 by bolts l2.

Fig. 21 is an irregular, longitudinalsectionl taken on the line 2|-2| of Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is an irregular, partial, longitudinal section taken on the line 22--22 of Fig. 20;

Fig. 23 is a partial, transverse section taken on the line 23--23 of Fig. 22;

Fig. 24 is a sectional view through one of the gear and eccentric assemblies;

Fig. 25 is an end view of the assembly shown in Fig. 24 and is taken locking in the direction of the arrows 25 of Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 is a transverse, sectional view taken on the line 26-26 of Fig. 19;

Fig. 27 is an irregular, partial, longitudinal section taken on the line 21-21 of Fig. 26;

Fig. 28 is an irregular, transverse, sectional View taken on the line 23-28 of Fig. 1.9;

Fig. 29 is a partial, longitudinal section taken on the line 20-29 of Fig. 20;;

Fig. 30 is a diagram showing the sequential operation of the main plungers;

Fig. 31 is a diagram showing the flow characteristics of the discharge ofthe entire pumping mechanism;

Fig. 32 is a partial, longitudinal section taken on the line 32-32 of Fig. 23;

Fig. 33 is an end View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 32 looking in the direction of the arrows 33 of that figure;

Figs. 34, 35 and 36 show successive positions of the pumping mechanism at successive 45 intervals, the first figure representing pump operation at maximum capacity, the second figure yat intermediate capacity, and the third figure at zero` capacity;

Fig. 37 is a view similar to Fig. 36, but showing the crank moved through a further 90 lnterval;

Figs. 38, 39 and 4 0 show the relative positions of the two camsI which operate the damper plungers in positions corresponding to the positions of the parts shown in Figs. 34, 35 and 36, respectively,

Fig. 4,1 is a longitudinal, sectional view through a further modication of my invention; and

Fig. 42 is a transverse, sectional view taken on the line 42-42 of Fig. 41.

In Figs. 1 to 14, inclusive, I have illustrated my invention as being incorporated in a lubricant compressor of the type commonly used in garages and service stations for lubricating the chassis bearings of automobiles. Referring particularly to Fig. 1, it will be seen that this lubricant compressor comprises in general an electric motor 50 mounted on a cover 52 adapted to overlie the upper end of a drum 54 containing the grease or other lubricant 5E. The drum 54 may. be the 4 usual drum in which lubricant is shipped by the lubricant manufacturer or renner.

The pumping mechanism proper is indicated at 58 and depends from the cover 52 so that this mechanism is located adjacent the bottom of the drum 54. This pumping mechanism discharges the lubricant through an outlet 60 having the usual flexible discharge hose 62 attached thereto. The opposite end of this hose is connected to a manually operated control valve Btl having a coupler B5 adapted to make a quick, detachable connection with lubricant receiving fittings permanently attached to the automobile bearings.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the elec tric'motorgn is secured by bolts 00 to a base '|0 The motor 50 has a motor shaft 'ld which is slidably received in the upper end of a drive tube 76. The

motor shaft 'lil and drive tube 'i6 are slotted to receive a key 18 which may be clamped in place by a screw 00. The base l0 is provided with an opening 02 opposite the -screw 80 whereby this screw may be tightened after the motor shaft 'lll has been slipped into the upper end of the driving tube 16.

The driving tube 'i6 has a shoulder 85| which rests upon an anti-friction washer 30 supported by a shoulder 83 provided by the depending central portion 00 of the base l0. A. pair of coaxially arranged stationary tubes 92 and 95 have their upper ends secured to the depending portion of the base l0. The annular space 95 formed between these tubes constitutes a discharge passage for the lubricant discharged by the pumping mechanism 58 and the upper end of this passage connects with an inclined duct 98 leading to the lubricant outlet 60.

The pumping mechanism 58 comprises in general an upper or head casting |00, a body casting |02 and a lower casting |04 and the various operating parts associated therewith. As most clearly shown in Fig. 2, the upper or head casting |00 is attached to the lower ends of the tubes 92 and 94 so that the entire weight of the pumping mechanism 58 is carried by these tubes. The body casting |02 is attached to the head casting |00 by screws |06 `(Fig. 3) and a threaded sleeve |08, and the lower casting |01! is attached to the body casting |02 by screws H0. Means which I shall hereinafter describe are provided for spacing the upper end of the body casting |02 from the lower end of the upper casting |00 and for spacing the lower casting |01! from the lower end of the body casting |02.

The lower end of the driving tube 16 is telescoped over the upper end of a driving shaft ||2, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and a pin ||4 in the upper end of shaft ||2 projects into slots H6 provided in the tube 16 so that shaft |`|2 rotates with this tube but may slide axially thereof. A spring ||3 is confined between the upper end of the shaft l2 and motor shaft 14 and urges shaft |2 toward the lowermost position shown in Fig. 2. A bearing |20 for the shaft ||2 is located in the stationary tube 92 and maintains this shaft in alignment with the motor shaft 14 and driving tube 16.

The lower end of the driving shaft ||2 has a slot |22 receiving a tongue |24 of a, pinion shaft |26 providing an upper pinion |28 and a lower pinion |30. The pinions |28 and |30 have oppositely inclined teeth, as clearly shown in Fig, 2.

The upper pinion |28 engages and drives three identical gears |32 and the lower pinion |30 also drives three identical gears |32. Each of these gears is illustrated as being formed by the outwardly flanged end of a hollow crank |34 rotatably mounted in a bearing |38 located in the body casting |02 and secured in placed by a screw |38. The other end of each of the cranks |34 is provided with a crank pin |40 located in a bore of a cross head |42. In Fig. 8, the crank pins |48 are shown for purposes of clarification as being longer than they really are, the correct length of these pins being clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Each cross head is slidable in the channel |44 formed in a saddle |48. Each saddle has a slot |48 formed in its base and each slot receives the cut away portion |58 of a plunger |52, as clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The ends of each saddle |46 engage the shoulders |54 at the ends of the reduced portion of a plunger |52, whereby the saddle |46 is rendered capable of reciprocating its plunger |52.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the bases of the upper group of saddles driven by upper gears |32 eng-age the bases of the lower group of saddles driven by the lower group of gears |32 and reciprocating movements of both groupsof saddles is guided by a central guide member |55 and semi-circular guide members |58. The central guide member |56 is located in an opening extending vertically through the body casting |132 and is held in place by opposing shoulders |58 formed in this casting.

The guide |58 has three dat portions |62 which are directly engaged by the saddles |45. These ilat portions are of smaller diameter than the remainder of the guide member so that the guide member can be inserted in place by positioning the curved edges of the guide member opposite the three lobes of the central cavity, lowering the guide member to the center of the body casting and then rotating the guide member to the position shown in Fig, 4 with the hat portions projecting into the lobes of the body cavity and the rounded portions engaged between the opposing shoulders |60. Each of the guide members |58 forms a segment of a circle and is located in one of the lobes of the body cavity with its flat edge opposing a flat edge of the guide member |55. The guide members |58 are of channel shape in cross section and are secured in position by screws |84, whose inner ends extend into the slots formed in the back of these guide members. Lock nuts |68 are preferably provided to prevent accidental displacement of the screws |64.

' Each end of each of the plungers |52 constitutes a piston and is located in one of the twelve cylinders |68 formed in the body casting |02. These cylinders are arranged in two planes, each horizontal plane containing six cylinders grouped in the form of an equilateral triangle, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The upper triangle is exactly superimposed over the lower triangle, so that the cylinders of the upper group lie in vertical planes containing the corresponding cylinders of the lower group. Each of the equilateral triangles is formed, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4, by drilling bores completely through the body casting |82, so that the ends of the three bores in each plane intersect. After the plungers |52 have been inserted in these bores, the ends of the bores are closed by screw plugs |18.

The twelve cylinders |68 are connected together in groups of four each to form three pumping chambers, indicated b-y the reference characters, L, M and N. Each pumping chamber comprises a pair of upper cylinders and a pair of lower cylinders interconnected by a recess |12 formed in the lower end of a valve body |14, whose enlargedupper end |16 is clamped between the body casting |02 and the upper casting |00. Each pumping chamber, therefor, includes an upper pair of cylinders |88 forming a V with respect to each other and a lower pair of cylinders forming a similar V with respect to each other and located directly below the upper V.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that each valve body |14 includes a passageway |18 normally closed by a valve |88 urged against a valve seat |82 by a spring |84 resting against a plug |86 threaded into the upper casting |88. The lower end of each passage |18 communicates with a recess |12 forming part of a pumping chamber and the upper end of each of these passages communicates through a duct |88 with the discharge passage 98 formed between the sleeves 92 and 94.

As best shown in Fig. 6, each of the three gears |32 of the lower set meshes with a cooperating gear |98 to form a primary gear pump. Each gear |98 rotates on a pin |92 pressed into a bore in the lower casting |04, Each primary pump also has a block |94 secured in place by a bolt l!) and located between the castings |02 and |84 to determine the spacing of these castings. Each block |94 has a pair of curved surfaces |95 and |98 closely engaging the teeth oi the gears |98 and |32, respectively, immediately before these teeth mesh to force the grease or other lubricant from the spaces between the gear teeth,

Each primary pump forces lubricant int-o the lower end of an inclined priming duct 288 leading to one of the pumping chambers. Since the f pumping cylinders receive lubricant only dur-- ing the intake strokes of the pistons in these cylindem, whereas the gear pumps deliver a continuous flow of lubricant, I have found it advisable to interconnect these gear pumps so that lthe lubricant discharged by any primary pump may iiow t-o any of the three pumping chambers of the secondary or main pump. This interconnecting means takes the form of intersecting bores 282 and 284 formed in Y-shaped ribs Zii' pron vided on the lower :Ea-ce `of the casting |84. These intersecting bores are provided with three yinlets 288, each inlet communicating with the gears of a primary pump .and being located opposite the lower end of `one of the prim-ing ducts 285, so that the lubricant discharged by a primary pump may flow directly into a priming duct 238 or into one of the interconnecting ducts 282 or 284.

When the pumpincr chambers are discharged at maximum capa-city, all or almost all of the lubricant discharged by the primary gear pumps is delivered .to these pumping chambers, but when these pumping chambers are delivering less than their maximum output, an increased proportion 4of the lubricant delivered by 'the primary gear pumps flows back into the lubricant drum 54 through a relief check valve 2id. This relief valve is preferably of the low pressure .type and eiers `only suicien-t resistance to flow of lubricant therepast to insure proper priming of the pumping chambers at all times.

The main pump delivers a maximum quantity of lubricant when all four pistons in the cylinders common to a single pumping chamber move subu stan-tially simultaneously toward the recess |12 interconnecting such cylinders, in other words when the discharge strokes :of all four pistons occur simultaneously. The volume vof lubricant discharged by these pumping chambers can be reduced by changing the relationship between the suction and discharge strokes of the several pis,-

i tons of a common pumping vchamber, so that the discharge strokes of some of these pistons overlap the intake strokes of the remaining pistons .to reduce the total volumetric displacement of a pumping chamber for each complete cycle of voperation.

In my novel pump, I obtain an infinitely variable range .of pump discharge by changing the timing of the lower pair of pistons of each pumping chamber relative to the `timing of the upper pair vof pistons of such -chamber to vary the discharge rate from zero to maximum. I shall now describe the manner in which this is accomplished and the means provided for accomplishing it.

The three upper plungers |52 are driven by the pinion |28 through the upper set of gears |32 so that the angular relationship of the driving cranks for the upper plungers never change with respect to each other. Similarly, the lower plungvers |52 are driven by the lower `set of gears |32 from the pinion |30, Yso that the cranks driving the lower plungers likewise never change their angular relationships with lrespect lto each other. The angular relationships between the upper set of driving cranks and the lower set of driving cranks can be changed, however, by longitudinal shifting of the pinion shaft |26 and I have provided automatic means to accomplish such shifting and thereby vary the volumetric discharge of the pump. Thisrmeans is automatically responsive to the pressure in the discharge conduit 62, so that the product of the volumetric discharge and the pressure of this discharge is substantially constant throughout the operating range of the pump.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13, I have shown the operating sequences of the plungers lying in the same horizontal plane in different angular positions -of the pump cycle. These figures show that the two pistons lying in the same horizon-tal plane and reciprocating in the cylinders common to a single pumping chamber do not complete their discharge and intake strokes at identically the same time, but that one `of these pistons leads the other by a small amount. This slight lead of one piston over the other, however, does not materially reduce the effective capacity of these two cylinders and when each upper plunger` is reciprocating simultaneously or in phase with the lower plunger therebeneath, the volumetric discharge from each pumping chamber is substantially equal to the sum of the effective volumes of the four cylinders constituting a part of such pumping chamber. As the lower plungers are shifted more and more out of phase with the upper plungers by longitudinal movement of the pinion shaft |26, the discharge strokes of the lower pistons of each pumping chamber overlap to lan increasing extent the intake strokes lof the upper pistons of such chamber and the volume of lubricant discharged from said chamber is correspondingly reduced.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 5, it will be seen that the lower end of the pinion shaft |26 rests upon the ball shaped head of a stud 2|2 mounted in one end of a walking beam 2 I4 pivotally mounted :on the pin 216 supported in the lower casting |04. The other end of this walking beam is provided with a similar stud 2\|8 engaged by a push rod 220. The lower end of the push rod extends through a bore 222 in the lower casting |0li and .the upper end -of this rod is enlarged, as indicated at 224, and is slidable in a vertical bore 226 in the body cast-ing |02. A heavy spring 228 surrounds the lower end of the rod 220 and rests upon the casting |04. A somewhat lighter spring 230 rests upon the spring 228 and has its lower end an appreciable distance below the head 224 of the rod 220.

A piston rod 232 engages the head 224 and is slidably mounted in .the sleeve |08. This sleeve is provided with a cross bore 234 connecting with an annular chamber 236 surrounding an intermediate portion of the sleeve and in communication by way of duct 238 with the lubricant discharge passage 96. The upper end of the piston rod 232 is located in an enlarged bore 240 of the sleeve |08 and the upper end of this bore is closed by a screw plug 242.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the upper end of the piston rod 232 is exposed to the lubricant pressure in the lubricant discharge passage 96 and that this pressure acts downwardly upon the piston rod 232, rod 220 and righthand end of the walking beam 2 I4. When the parts are in the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 5, this force is resisted by the spring ||8 confined between the motor shaft 14 and the driving shaft 2. This spring 8 is relatively light and the parts remain in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5 only when there is no substantial resistance to the discharge of lubricant. As soon as any substantial resistance is encountered, rods 232 and 220 move downwardly, thereby causing walking beam 2|4 to move about its pivot 2|6 and raise pinion shaft |26 and driving shaft ||2 against the resistance of spring I I8.

This upward movement of the pinion shaft |26 shifts the phase relationship between the six pistons in the lower plane and the six pistons in the upper plane to reduce the output of the pumping chambers. This reduced output of the pumping chambers is accompanied by an increase in the quantity of lubricant bypassed back into the lubricant' drum 54 through the primary pump relief valve 2|0. Further increase in resistance to discharge of lubricant will build up a higher pressure in the discharge passage 96 and result in further downward movement of rods 232 and 220 and correspondingly further upward movement of pinion shaft |26 and driving shaft ||2.

When head 224 engages intermediate spring 230, the resistance of this spring is added to that of spring ||8 and thereafter further movement of the rods 232 and 220, walking beam 2|4 and pinion shaft |26 and driving shaft I2 is resisted by both of these springs. Increased resistance to discharge of lubricant, however, creates a downward force on the piston rod 232 which overcomes the resistance of both of these springs and results in further upward movement of the pinion shaft |26 to further reduce the output of the pumping chambers. After spring 230 has been completely collapsed,k further movement of the pinion shaft is resisted by spring |8 and heavy spring 228.

In Fig. 14, I have shown a chart wherein the full line curve 244 represents the relationship between pressure and volume for different positions of the pinion shaft |26. The dotted line 246 in this figure represents the relationships between pressure and volume where the product of these two is always a constant. It will be noted from this chart that the line or curve 244 representing the actual pressure volume relationship curve of the pump has a straight portion 248 showing the pressure volume relationships which exist while the springv ||8 acts alone in opposing the axial movement of the pinion shaft |26. The straight section 250 of vthis curve represents the pressure volume relationships occurring while springs |18 9 and 230 are jointly resisting axial movement of the pinion shaft, and the straight section 252 of this curve represents the pressure volume relationships existing while springs i8 and 223 are resisting axial movement of this shaft.

For this chart it will be apparent that with the particular spring selected, the maximum lubricant pressure which the pump can develop is 9,000 pounds per square inch and that when this pressure is reached the discharge of the pump drops to zero. The pump can readily be designed to deliver any maximum pressure, but it is important from a practical standpoint that the discharge of the pump drops to zero when this maximum pressure is reached in order to protect the pump against breakage. With the theoretical curve 2il6 where the product of the pressure and volume is always a constant, an unlimited pressure can be created by a corresponding reduction in the volume oi discharge and any pump following this curve would ultimately be destroyed by the unlimited pressure which would be produced when the control valve ed is closed to prevent further discharge of lubricant.

Except for the necessity of providing a maximum pressure cut-oi, it is desirable to have the actual pressure volume curve of the pump follow, as closely. as possible, the theoretical curve 246 in order to permit the use of a minimum size of motor and most eii'icient operation. Where the product of the pressure and volume is a constant, this product determines the maximum size of motor necessary to operate the pump and since this product is never exceeded, no extra capacity need be provided for overloads. In the actual pump illustrated, the product of pressure and volume reaches a maximu'm at approximately 20 of delivery and this maximum product determines the maximum capacity of motor needed to operate the pump, although in actual commercial practice the motor selected must have a somewhat larger capacity to provide for friction losses and the slightly increased power necessary to force the excess priming lubricant through the bypass relief check valve 2m. By using more springs or the same number oi springs having special characteristics, the actual pressure volume curve can be made to approach more closely to the theoretical curve.

It is important that the upper casting l and the body casting |02 be properly spaced to prevent binding of the driving gears |32 therebetween. This spacing is determined by the enlarged upper ends |76 of the valve bodies |14, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. It is also important that the lower casting Illl be properly spaced from the body casting E62 to prevent binding of the lower set of driving gears |32 and of the primary pumping gears |50 meshing therewith. In fact, it is especially necessary to have exactly the proper spacing of the lower casting |04 and body casting |02 in order that the primary gear Qpumps oper,- ate eiciently and eiectively. Such spacing is provided by the blocks |94 (Fig. 6)

Referring to Figs. 2 and 8, it will be seen that the lov/er side 01 each upper saddle llli rests upon the upper side of the corresponding saddle located immediately therebeneath and that these saddles slide upon each other when the upper pistons are out oi phase with the lower pistons. It is important to provide proper contact between the upper and lower saddles to prevent vibration and chattering and I accomplish this by resilient means which forces the upper saddles down upon the lower saddles. As best shown in Fig. 2, this 10 resilient means takes the form of a spring 254 located in each of the three upper cranks |34 and conned between the closed lower end of the bore of its crank and a hardened steel ball 256 pressed against the lower face of the upper casting IM.

A feature of my invention which materially contributes to the quietness and freedom from vibration of my novel pump resides in the particular arrangement of the plungers E52 with respect to their operating crank pins M0. It will be noted that the central portion of each plunger cut away to half its thickness where this plunger is straddled by a saddle |46. This cut away portion of each plunger is in direct contact with, and lies in the same plane as, the end of its operating crank pin Idil, so that the end of each crank pin lies in the axial plane of the plunger which it operates. Furthermore, each crank pin is relatively short, so that twisting stresses on the hollow cranks |34 and their bearings |36 are reduce-d to a minimum.

rihe saddles |46 are rmly guided between the fiat surfaces |62 of the central guide member 55d and the opposed at surfaces of the semicircular guide members |58. The central guide member is firmly secured in place by the opposed shoulders i6@ of the body casting i512, whereas-the semi-circular guide members |53 are free to adjust themselves in the bores or lobes The angular arrangement of the screws i""., however, prevents tipping of the semi-cirguide members itt about a horizontal axis thereby insures proper positioning of these guide members with respect to the saddles Mt.

In Figs. l5, 16, 17 and 18 I have shown a modifled form of my invention in which the lubricant compressor is operated by an air driven motor inof by the electric motor of the embodiment of Fig, 1. In general, the embodiment of Figs. to 18, inclusive, may be identical with that of the previous embodiment, except for the change in motors and the other changes hereinafterfdescribed. Where the lubricant compressor is provided with an air motor, this motor will ordinarily be connected to the usual air pressure tank maintained in garages and service stations for filling automobile tires and similar purposes.

In this second embodiment of my invention, I have illustrated the air motor as being indicated generally by reference character 306i and as comprising a housing including a base 302, a lower casting 3M, an upper casting 395, and a cover 3%, all suitably attached to each other by bolts or other suitable means to form a unitary structure. The base 3ii2 is secured `by studs Sill to the base 'ld of the cover $2. If desired, the bolt holes in the base 362 may be spaced similarly to the bolt holes in the motor 5i) ofthe previous embodiment, so that air and electric motors may be interchangeably installed on the same cover and pump assembly and a feature of that form of my invention shown in Figs. 15 to i8, inclusive, lies in the provision of an air motor and control mechanism therefor which may be so substituted without requiring any change in the cover and pump assembly.

The air motor 3M) is illustrated as including three cylinders 3|2 horizontally arranged and equally spaced about the axis of a crank shaft 3M having asingle crank 3|@ connected to the piston rods I8 of the three cylinders. Each of these piston rods is illustrated as having a ball shaped head 32B secured to its piston 322. 1iilachA cylinder has akcombined inlet and exhaust passage 324 andthe crank shaft 3M and surrounding sleeve 326 cooperate to form valve means for controlling the admission and exhaust of air by way of the passages 324.

The air motor 300 has an air inlet 328 connected by a fiexible hose 330, or other suitable pipe, to a source of air under pressure. This inlet communicates with a port 332 in a sleeve 334 located in a bore provided in the casting 304 and held against axial or rotative movement therein by a pin 336. Inside of the sleeve 334 is the enlarged upper end 338 of an air supply control rod 340. The upper end of this rod has an annular groove 342 which is normally in line with aligned ports 332 and 344 in the sleeve 334 and a duct 346 in the casting I|l4 which communicates with an annular groove 348 in the sleeve 326. The crank shaft 3I4 has a milled portion 350 which serves successively to connect the passages 324 of the several cylinders with the source of air supply as the crank shaft rotates.

The crank shaft 3| 4 is provided with a longitudinal bore 352 which terminates short of the lower end of the crank shaft and is closed at its upper end by a screw plug 354. The crank shaft is also provided with an upper port 356 (Fig. 16) and a lower port 358 (Fig. 18), both communicating with the bore 352. The port 356 is in the plane of the lower ends of the passages 324 and of ports 360 formed in the sleeve 326 and aligned with the ends of these passages, as most clearly shown in Fig. 16, so that as the crank shaft rotates it successfully brings the Vends of the passages 324 into communication with the bore 352 in the crank shaft. The lower crank shaft port 358 is always in communication with an annular groove 362 in the sleeve 326 (Fig. 18) which in turn communicates through a passage 364 with a muffler chamber 366 formed in the casting 364. This muler chamber is so designed that noise entrained in the exhaust air is absorbed or neutralized therein whereby this air is discharged to atmosphere through exhaust ports 368 without creating objectionable sounds.

The crank shaft 3 I4 is illustrated as being supported in a pair of ball bearings 318 and as having a balancing weight 312 at its upper end. The lower end of the crank shaft is provided with a pinion 314 driving a gear 316 formed on the upper end of a tubular motor shaft 318 having a projecting end 388 which may be identical in size with the corresponding part of the electric motor shaft 14 of the previous embodiment. The motor shaft 318 is guided by a ball bearing 382 at its upper end and an anti-friction bushing 384 fixed in the base 382. The spring I I8 is conned between the lower end of the motor shaft 318 and the upper end of the driving shaft |I2 of the pumping mechanism just as in the previous embodiment.

The lower end of the air control rod 346 is spaced some distance above the upper end of the driving shaft I I2 when the latter is in its lowermost position corresponding to maximum pump discharge. A spring 386 is located in a bore 388 in the upper end of the driving shaft I I2 and when this shaft is in the lowermost position, the upper end of this spring is preferably spaced from the control rod 340. In Fig. 15, the control rod 340 is shown in normal position with its shoulder 399 in engagement with a cooperating shoulder 392 provided by the sleeve 334. A spring 394 tends to hold the control rod in this position and to return it to this position when the rod is displaced therefrom. A spring pressed detent 396 is also provided to hold the control rod 340 in the lower position and for that purpose nor- Y mally engages an annular groove 398 formed in the upper end of this rod.

It is most convenient to have the pipe 330 which connects the motor 360 with a compressed air tank flexible so that the cover 52 and motor and pump assembly mounted thereon can be applied to and removed from lubricant drums without disturbing the pipe assembly between the motor and air tank.

In Fig. l5, the parts are shown in the position assumed when the pump is operating at maximum discharge and under low pressure. If the pressure in the discharge passage 96 is increased either by increased bearing resistance or by closing of the control valve at the end of the lubricant discharge hose 62, this increase in pressure will cause a correspondingly great upward movement of the pinion shaft and the driving shaft II2 connected thereto. A given upward movement of the driving shaft I I2 will cause the spring 386 to engage the lower end of the air control rod 349 and to urge this rod upwardly. The upward force exerted on this control rod by spring 386 is resisted by spring 394 and detent 396.

When the pressure in the discharge passage 96 reaches thev maximum for which the pump is designed, the force exerted by spring 396 is sufiicient to overcome the resistance of detent 396 and spring 394 and to move the control rod 349 to the upper position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 15. Thi-s upward movement of the'control rod is guided by the pin 336 which projects into a longitudinal groove 409 and prevents rotation of this rod while permitting axial movement thereof.k As soon as the upward movement of the control rod has forced detent 396 out of groove 398, the energy stored in spring 386 completes the upward movement of this rod with a snap action and equally shifts the annular groove 342 out of alignment with ports 332 and 344 and into the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 15 to cut off the supply of air to the motor cylinders.

Lubricant compressor thereupon becomes idle and ceases to operate until the pressure in the discharge passage 96 is reduced either by reduction of bearing resistance or by opening of the lubricant control valve 64. While the motor is idle, no air is consumed so that the energy consumption of the motor is maintained at a minimum, while the particular design of air motor shown is compact and light in weight and, therefore, advantageous as a source of power for driving the lubricant compressor, it will be understood that other designs of air motors could be utilized in lieu of the particular design shown in the drawings.

In Figs. 19 to 40, inclusive, I have shown a third embodiment Iof my invention which is particularly adapted for use as a pump to supply hydraulic fluid for operating machine tools and other devices, although equally capable of utilization as a fluid pump for' general purposes. This fluid pump, like the pumps of the first two embodiments, is capable of providing innite variation in volume of discharge and discharge pressure through the range of pump operation.

This third embodiment of my invention is adapted for many different purposes and may be designed to operate over widely different pressure and volume ranges to meet the individual needs of particular uses. 

